For many generations, the story has circulated that simply planting a peach pit in the ground could grow a peach tree. The tale is not a myth, but neither is it completely true. Cleaning off a peach pit and burying it under a bit of soil will sometimes lead to the growth of a new tree. More times than not, however, it won't. You'll likely have more success by buying a young tree and planting it in a sunny spot with sandy soil.

If you want to attempt to grow a peach tree by this method, simply wash the pit, removing all traces of flesh, and plant it approximately 3 to 4 inches (7.62 to 10.16 cm) deep in sandy soil. Plant the pit during the later winter or early spring, and prepare to wait. If the pit sprouts, you should not expect the tree to bear fruit for at least several years. Do not be frustrated if it fails to grow. Sometime the pit rots, and sometimes it ends up as a feast for ground squirrels.

A far more successful method is to first do a bit of research, and then visit a local nursery. Select a tree best suited to your climate. This is fairly simply, as peach trees tend to be quite hardy and resilient, and in contrast to many trees, they actually prefer a chilly climate. Like a peach pit, they should be planted in the later winter or early spring.

Ad

Have selected a variety of tree, find a nursery-grown peach that is under three years old. Older trees do not transplant well. Also, look at the tree for signs of disease, such as discoloration, holes, or black spots on the leaves.

Peach trees are self-pollinating, so you need not plant two or more to produce your own fruit. Your tree should be planted in sandy or well-drained soil. Do not plant it in soil that is loamy or contains a high clay content, since they tend to retain too much water that could drown the roots.

Before digging a hole, remember that these trees need plenty of sunlight. Many a grower has discovered the hard way that even the shade of an existing tree will block the sunlight necessary for the healthy growth of a tree.

Once all these considerations have been met, the rest is easy. After bringing the tree home from the nursery, soak the roots overnight in a bucket of water. Trim any roots that appear to be damaged or diseased.

Next, dig a hole both deep and wide enough to easily contain the tree's entire root ball. Insert the tree and fill the hole, but do not pack the soil tight. Most important of all, do not add fertilizer. Though they are highly resistant to cold temperatures, the roots of a peach tree are still sensitive, and few things will kill them faster than fertilizer.

Related wiseGEEK Articles

Discuss this Article

andeePost 4

How long does it usually take before peach trees will bear fruit? I have a dwarf peach tree that I have had for 2 years and I still don't have any fruit on it.

Does it take a dwarf peach tree as long to produce fruit as a regular peach tree does? I like the smaller tree because it is easier for me to manage, but wonder how long I have to wait before I get any peaches from it.

honeybeesPost 3

@John57-- That is good advice because there are often special requirements or procedures to follow for plants and trees to grow successfully.

I planted two different peach tree varieties right next to each other. When I planted them they were in the sunlight and did quite well for a few years.

At the time I didn't realize the trees closest to them would get so big and provide so much shade. Once the peach trees were in the shade part of the day, they didn't do nearly as well.

John57Post 2

I love fresh peaches and had room to plant a peach tree on my property. I was never told not to apply peach tree fertilizer.

I should have done more research before I bought the tree and planted it in the ground. I thought most everything would do better with a little bit of fertilizer.

When my peach tree died, I had no idea what caused it. It was only then that someone at the nursery told me what I had done wrong. The biggest thing I learned from this was to do my research and ask a lot of questions before planting something for the first time.

juliesPost 1

Reading this article reminds me of my sister and I planting peach pits when we were kids. We thought we would have a whole orchard of peach trees, and not one of them ever grew.

We either gave up or lost interest, because nothing ever started to grow. It sounds like it would be much easier to go to a nursery and buy a peach tree that has already been started.

Post your comments

Please enter the code:

Login

Register

Make changes/additions/deletions to the article below, and one of our editors will publish your suggestions if warranted.

Optional: Explanation of your recommended changes

Thank You!

One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted.
Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive,
this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!